By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Tatak Kalamay, a local group of sugar industry stakeholders, has answered the call for assistance in the COVID-19 vaccine information drive.
In a virtual conference with industry leaders, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board Members Atty. Emilio Dino Yulo and Atty. Roland Beltran and Tatak Kalamay were briefed by distributors of Covovax vaccine, a recombinant vaccine developed by Novavax Inc. and distributed locally by Faberco Life Sciences Inc.
“It is vital for the industry to support mass vaccination so that we can protect our stakeholders and industries heavy in sugar use can also go back to normalcy,” Yulo said.
He said tourism destinations, restaurants, schools that are heavily affected by the pandemic are among their biggest consumers adding that “the soonest we can go back to normalcy through mass vaccination, the better it is for the industry and for our economy.”
Yulo cited the recent statement by US COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci who said that “any vaccine is better than no vaccine.”
He said that “we have to take a lead in our industry to impress that on our stakeholders.”
The SRA officials, along with the millers, the various sugar fedrations, planters, and local governments in sugar producing areas are currently in talks with Covovax distributors on how to directly get slots from the 30 million doses initially reserved for by the Philippine Government.
Yulo said what they find interesting with this vaccine is the fact that it has included in their trials the special group of immunocompromised and the older population from 65-84 years old.
He added that “It is also reasonably priced with an indicative price plus estimated logistical costs to Bacolod at P1,400 for two doses.”
Yulo said that they are also looking at replicating the Bayanihan Testing effort of the private sector in helping the public.
He added that “We are now in exploratory talks with makers of Covovax and our next step is to reach out to sugar federations all over the country as well as the local government units to speed up this process so we can help jumpstart the economy which will also be good for the industry.”
Yulo further said that Tatak Kalamay which has a membership in almost all sugar producing areas will be mobilized in the vaccination campaign.
